Time Dilation
by linkingpinkies
Summary: Hermione Granger is accidentally thrusted into a world unfamiliar to herself. As she tries to find her bearings with her new environment, none other than Ginny Weasley comes to the rescue. The two girls must find a way back to their world without being discovered.
1. It Starts

The room was dark and the atmosphere cold, yet tense. Breathing in the room was tight, and white clouds were issuing from each person's mouth, as the room was abnormally chilly. On the floor lay three sets of wands belonging to Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, and Hermione Granger. How they found themselves in this place was unbelievable to say the least. After several months of desperately trying to cover their tracks, they found themselves right in the hands of Scabior, a notorious Snatcher. He had dragged them to none other than the Malfoy Manor.

Although Harry had been disguised by a jinx Hermione had performed as an act of urgency, Draco Malfoy was brought forth to confirm if he actually resembled the Undesirable #1. Draco, under pressure, did not have such an answer. The grotesque figure wore similar clothes to Potter, had the same type of hair, and his voice was very much like Potter's, but he could not make the mistake of misidentifying the captive as Potter if he actually wasn't. Whispers filled his ears, begging him to identify Potter.

Draco stuttered, "I-I can't be sure."

"Now, Draco, please tell Mummy. Is this Potter?" Narcissa Malfoy pleaded.

"I-I don't know!" Draco cried.

In walked a woman, hair black as night and madly tangled. Although her skin was pearly white, it had a slight dull glow about it, as if it was slowly dying. She was standing only a few feet away but her putrid aroma caused Hermione to scrunch her face in disgust, trying not to be obvious and provoke more anger from Bellatrix, yet the older woman had a mad look in her eye, madder than usual, causing a chill to run down everyone's spine.

"What is that?" she asked incredulously at one of the Snatchers clutching the handle of a gleaming sword.

"Found it on their persons' ", he noted with a grin, "Reckon it's mine now."

Quick as a snake, Bellatrix snapped her wand at the man, whips issuing from the ending. Between the three Snatches, she knocked them all unconscious, sprawled across the floor in a matter of seconds

Bellatrix ordered for Ron and Harry to be led down a staircase to the cellar. The boys resisted perilously, shouting and pleading, yet they were forced to the underground cellar, leaving Hermione to face her on her own. Hermione's heart beat quick as she processed her situation. She found herself alone in the room with Bellatrix Lestrange, who was Voldemort's right-hand woman, the Malfoys, and Griphook, a goblin who had accompanied them in their attempt of breaking into Gringotts, the wizard bank. There was no way for her to defend herself, as she was disarmed of her wand, and no doubt Griphook would remain silent during whatever Bellatrix had in mind.

The female Death Eater approached her, her scent increasingly thickened, causing bile to rise in the back of Hermione's throat. Without warning, Bellatrix grabbed Hermione by her hair and threw her to the ground. Having been caught off guard, Hermione yelped in pain as her temple collided with the floor. Her hearing was jarred and vision blackened as she shut her eyes tightly in pain. Only as she was forced to face upwards did she realise Bellatrix had straddled her waist. The woman twitched her wand at each of Hermione's wrist, rope-like vines tying securely around her wrist, pinning her to the floor.

"Alright, mudblood, tell Bella how you got that sword!" Bellatrix hissed at her. Hermione's mind raced for an excuse. When she didn't think quickly enough, Bellatrix procured a dagger from her sleeve, pressing it against Hermione's neck. She could feel drops of blood drip down her throat as the knife's sharp edge bit into her skin.

"Tell me the truth! How did you get into my vault?" screeched Bellatrix, emphasizing each word by digging her nails into the skin of Hermione's left arm. The young witch yelped in pain.

"We didn't! We didn't get into your vault!" Hermione sobbed frantically, as Bellatrix tightened her grip on her arm and pressed the knife harder against her throat.

"Liar!" Bellatrix screamed, relieving the pressure of the knife against Hermione next only to pierce the young girl's forearm with the tip, dragging the sharp knife into the surface of her right arm. Hermione screamed in agony. She could not fight against it, her body restrained the wooden floor. Above the girl's scream, the others in the room could only just make out the Weasley boy's desperate shouts from the cellar. Hermione's heart was beating incredibly fast, her head was throbbing for her cries, and her arm ached from her fresh wound.

"I'll teach you not to lie to me!" screeched Bellatrix rising to her feet. Out the corner of her eye, Hermione could see the blood dripping from her cut. _Mudblood, _it said. Her tears rolled down the side of her face, as her situation became overwhelming. If they managed to leave, the wound would scar over, forever imprinted on her skin. Hermione failed to process Bellatrix's taunt as she then interrogated Griphook. The goblin seemed to refuse to give any information away as Bellatrix anger increased. The sinister woman stood above Hermione, her wand tip fix at the girl's forehead.

"You'll tell me where you got that sword or you'll have more than a few traumatic scars, mudblood."

All at once, too many things were happening in what felt like slow motion. Her hearing return yet the voices sounded far away. She could see Ron and Harry running up the cellar stairs. Bellatrix's expression turned from shocked to furious as she turned and focused again on Hermione.

'_This is it. I'm going to die_', she thought as she squeezed her eyes shut. But instead of seeing a green flash or feeling pain, she opened her eyes to find herself engulfed in white light, a familiar sensation running through her entire body. Like she was traveling through a portkey, except every particle of her body was being torn apart.

It wasn't painful, but Hermione's confusion caused her to panic and a million thoughts entered her mind.  
>'<em>What is this?<em>' she thought, _'Am I dead? Where have I gone? The others!' _She looked around herself yet she found no one else with her. Concluding that she was indeed dead, Hermione felt tears filled her eyes, '_I'll never see Ron again, nor Harry, nor...Ginny._' And with that final thought, an enormous wave of sorrow overcame her, as the white environment dimmed and her world turned pitch black.

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><p><em>Ginny was sitting at the edge of the lake when Hermione found her. She had been looking off into the distance, and as Hermione drew closer, she could see that Ginny's eyes were puffy and red, her cheeks streaked wet with tears.<em>

_"Ginny?" Hermione asked tentatively. Ginny looked up at her and Hermione could see the sorrow in her eyes._

_"What's wrong, Gin?" she asked, sitting next to her friend._

_Ginny looked away and said with a thick voice, "Harry broke up with me." And it all became clear to Hermione._

_"But I understand, he has to go save the world and all.", Ginny added. Hermione could hear the anger in Ginny's voice and her heart broke for her. Sure, she had thought about what would happen when her, Ron, and Harry would leave to find horcruxes, but it pained her to see the girl she loved cry over her best friend._

_"Come on, Ginny. Harry loves you. I'm sure when all this is over he'll want to be with you again." Hermione said, wrapping a comforting arm around Ginny shoulders._

_"I know. I'm just being silly. I'm worried though. What if…what if he doesn't come back? What if none of you come back, Hermione? I don't know what I'd do if I lost any of you.", Ginny sobbed as fresh tears ran down her cheeks. Hermione reached over and wiped the tears from Ginny's face._

_"Ginny, you mustn't think like that. Those boys and I…all of us, everyone, we've been through too much to give up now. Believe me, Gin. We're going to come back alive," The older girl said. Ginny nodded in understanding._

_"Promise?" she sniffed almost childlike._

_"I promise." Hermione smiled, embracing Ginny in a hug, and she meant it with everything she had._

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><p>Hermione's eyes shot open, yet she had to blink several times before her vision became focused again. Her mouth was dry and her body ached. She didn't sit up immediately due to her throbbing head. Her heartbeat increased as she realized she was not dead as she had anticipated. Instead, she was laying on her back in what seemed to be tall grass. Hermione sat up, leaning against her arms to evaluate her situation. She was wandless, alone, and had nothing but the clothes on her back. The area was something of a hilly meadow, the sun not yet in the sky, as the horizon could either be pink from a new day or a new night. The grass had dots of dew on it so Hermione concluded it was a new day.<p>

She stood up eventually, checking her pockets for any possessions. Having found nothing, she took her chances, and began walking in the direction of the rising sun, her feet feeling heavier than usual. As she walked for what felt like forever, a thousand thoughts ran through her mind. _Why was she not dead? Where was she? What happened to Ron and Harry? Did they get away?_ The thought shot dread through her body.

_What if...? No, don't think like that_, she shook her head. After all they had gone through, Hermione knew Ron and Harry were perfectly capable of escaping...They had to be. She promised Ginny they would be okay. _Ginny... _The girl's heart ached at the thought of her friend. It had been so long since they had last seen each other, and given the circumstances, Hermione could not see them being reunited any time soon.

As she continued walking, the day grew older and Hermione decided to find somewhere to take refuge. The meadow turned into hills and Hermione, luckily, found a cave to stay in over night. She built a fire by hand, a skill her father had taught her to master when she and her parents went camping. They had been so proud of her. She smiled at the memory, yet tears began to fill her eyes. _What the hell is going on?_ She thought. Hermione hadn't felt so hopeless since Bellatrix had tortured her. She rolled up her sleeve to inspect the wound on her arm. It was red and swollen, clotted by dry blood. The tears finally rolled down her face.  
><em>I need to get back<em>, she thought, _I need to get back to Ron and Harry._

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><p><strong>Okay, well, that was my attempt at revision! Should anyone like to volunteer to Beta the next chapter, please PM me! :)<strong>


	2. The Next Morning

**New chapter is up thanks to my lovely Beta reader, Bmeph! Thing's will get interesting soon, I promise. I have a few ideas that I want to try with this story. If you read this previously, you'll notice it's completely different from before as I wanted to take a different approach. Enjoy.**

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><p>When Hermione woke up the next morning, her body was sore and stomach empty. It groaned loudly, her sides cramping. It had been a few days since she had a decent meal. She put out the dying fire, cleared the area of any trace of her, and left the cave in search of civilization. The mountainside she had chosen to rest on was seemingly clear of any human life. Hermione desperately wished she had her wand again. She could Apparate to a small town of Carluke, summon some food, and maybe clean herself in a local fast food restaurant. In the tent she, Harry, and Rontravel<strong>l<strong>ed with, there was a private shower to use. Though hot water was not an option in it, it was still nice to feel clean every day.

The more she walked, the more her feet ached and the more paranoid she became of whatever she might come across in the hills. She was virtually unarmed in every way. What she was assumed was hours passed before she came across a small house. _Odd. Who would live way out here? _She thought. Too suspicious to knock on the door, she peered through a glass window and found the house to be seemingly empty. Prepared to run if anything should happen, Hermione knocked on the door. When she received no response, she tried one more time. Still, no response.

Slowly, she reached for the doorknob, turned it, and entered the house. Her eyes scanned frantically for any signs of movement or life, as she cautiously walked further into the house. The house had a gloomy atmosphere to it, containing of little to no furniture. The shelves and books were covered in dust. Hermione could not sense a hint of magic anywhere.

As she explored further, Hermione entered the kitchen, finding the room empty. Rushing through some of the cabinets, the fridge, and the pantry, there was plenty of food for her to choose from. Grabbing a bag of crisps, she munched while looking for a bag to take a few things._I could come back and return the favour once all of this is over_, she thought pushing her guilt aside. Having found nothing to hold her newfound food, she left the kitchen in search of backpack, and explored the other rooms. As she entered one room, she noticed a single photo on the dresser. There smiled a small girl, an older woman, and a tall man. They smiled at her, the photo still confirming this house did not belong to a wizarding family. She stared at the picture, tracing the peoples' faces with her finger, longing for her own parents. A loud creak snapped her out of her trance.

Panic flowed through her. There she was, unarmed, and practically thieving these peoples' resources. Hermione made to leave when the floor creaked.

"Hello?" a deep voice came. "Who's there?"

Hermione held her breath,_This was a stupid idea! So stupid!_

"I know you're in here! I saw your tracks along the hill. Just come out and I won't hurt you." the voice said calmly. What more could she do? Hermione raised her arms in surrender and edged towards the living room. A man stood in the doorway, holding a shotgun. Hermione's breathing quickened.

"Alright, miss. What's your name?" he asked cautiously. He wore loose denim pants, a brown leather vest, and a plaid flannel beneath the vest. His hair was a dark brown, and was slightly balding near the front of his hairline.

"Pen-Penelope Clearwater." Hermione lied. The name had not worked for the Snatchers, but this Muggle couldn't possibly know any different.

"Penelope, what are you doing in my house?" he interrogated.

"I thought it was empty. I have nothing or no one with me, but I thought I might find some food." she admitted. He had not shot her yet, hadn't even bothered pointing the gun at her.

"You're hungry?" he confirmed. Hermione nodded in agreement. The man gripped the gun, obviously deciding what course of action to take next.

"Okay, Penelope. I'm gonna feed you, but you have to promise me no funny business or I'll shoot you like I would a stag." he warned.

"Yes, sir." she agreed, nodding her head frantically. He was going to feed her!

"Okay." he set the gun down and walked towards the kitchen. Hermione had not noticed the handgun he kept on his side. She followed him into the kitchen, taking a seating at the dinner table. "I've got potatoes, some bread, and corn. It's not much, but it would make for a decent sandwich." The man set to working on making food as Hermione sat at the table, staring at her hands. She thought about what could have happened to her friends, how she was going to get back to them._Dear God, please let them have gotten away_, she thought, her throat tightening.

"What brings you to this side of the country?" the man asked. Hermione realized she didn't know his name.

She cleared her throat, "I..uh…I got separated from my friends."

"Separated? Why not just trace your tracks?" he suggested.

Hermione smiled, If only it were that easy. "I can't. We were separated too far apart." She ended up explaining.

"I'm sorry to hear that. I know times are rough right now. The most bizarre mishaps are occurring, and no one seems to be able to explain anything. I'm just glad I'm out here instead of the city. Crime rates have gone up so high recently." He grumbled.

"Yeah, but don't you miss people?" Hermione inquired. She missed so many people and it had only been a day since she had last seen her friends.

"Sometimes, but I've got nature out here. That's all I need. No one to tell me what to do or how to live. My grandfather owned this land for three decades and it's been passed on to my father, then to me. It's all I know." The man asserted. He quickly made mashed potato and corn sandwiches for the two of them. They ate in silence, their conversation reaching an end. Hermione pondered how someone could live their lives in solitude for so long. Did this man long for someone to interact with the way she did? Again, she remembered she didn't even know his name.

"Excuse me, but I don't believe you've told me your name." Hermione said softly.

"M' name's Ivan." He said through a mouthful of food. Ivan looked to be in his early forties, which explained the balding of his hair. Hermione peered through the window beside the dinner table. The woods were quiet, aside from the occasional bird chirping. The sky had grown much darker since she had arrived.

"You're welcome to stay the night, Penelope." Ivan suggested, breaking Hermione's train of thought.

Hermione's eyes grew wide at the suggestion. Sleeping alone in a house with a man she barely met. Ivan must have sensed her suspicion, "Like I said, no funny business. I'm not that type of man." Hermione smiled, only it didn't reach her eyes. Ivan was kind, she knew, but still she had to remain cautious.

"There's a spare room and bathroom for you to use." Ivan said as he handed her a pair of women's pajamas. _Must have been his wife's._

Hermione showered, relishing the feeling of warm waters running down her sides for the first time in months. Squeaky clean, she left the bathroom and entered the spare room as Ivan was adjusting a bed sheet to the mattress. She helped him cover all the corners and cover it with a duvet. "This used to be my daughter's room." He explained.

Having seen no trace of the girl, Hermione asked, "Where is she?"

Ivan hesitated, "She and her mama had to leave." Hermione didn't press him any further, sensing it was a fragile topic to discuss.

"Alright, well, good night." Ivan said leaving the room after and awkward silence. Hermione dwelled on what Ivan had said about his wife and daughter. Why did they have to leave? She shook the thought from her mind as she lay in the bed, feeling much better after all that she had gone through in the last 48 hours. She fell into a deep sleep as exhaustion overtook her.

She woke in the middle of the night to a crashing sound. "Ivan?" she whispered into the dark. Loud thuds progressed from the living room and Hermione shot out of bed.

"Who the bloody hell are you?" she heard Ivan shout. There shuffling through the hallway, loud sounds of shattering wood, followed by the blast of a shotgun. Hermione stood still. Who was attacking?

The bedroom door sprung open, revealing a sweaty Ivan in boxers and a white wifebeater. "Penelope, you need to get out of here."

"What's going on?" she asked frantically.

A blast of red sparks zoomed past Ivan, narrowly missing him.

"Death eaters!" Hermione exclaimed. Ivan shoved her into the room, shutting the door. He pushed the bureau against the door along with the mattress.

"How do you know about Death Eaters?" he asked Hermione. Hermione suddenly realized.

"You know?" she said softly.

"Know what?" Ivan said reloading his gun.

"About…" she hesitated, "About Voldemort?"

Ivan's head snapped in her direction, shock clear on his face.

"You're a witch, aren't ya?" he asked. There was no way she would no that man's name without having some sort of magic blood in her.

A hole burst through the bedroom door before she could answer. A cloaked figure with a mask peered through, raising their wand quickly, but Ivan was quicker. He shot them down, cocked the shotgun again, and shot the next person down. The air was filled with an eerie silence. The only thing Hermione could hear was the slight ring in her ears and her own breathing.

"I think they're gone." Ivan assessed, yet he did not lower his gun. Blood was dripping slightly from the side of his temple. "Now, tell me the truth." He said facing Hermione. "There's no longer a reason for Death Eaters to come knocking on my door, so why were they here?"

Hermione tensed. How could she possibly explain why the Death Eaters had appeared? She didn't even know where she was, so how could they have found her so quickly?

"Ivan, I…" she began, "I don't know why they're here. No, that's a lie. They were probably looking for me. But I don't know how they found me, as I haven't performed magic at all since I woke up two days ago."

Ivan stared at her for a moment, as if trying to measure her up to her words. "I believe you, but I need to know one thing."

Hermione nodded for him to continue.

"Are you a witch?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Then you have to leave."

Hermione looked at him in shock, though she knew she shouldn't have been surprised. The Death Eaters' occurrence, while unexplained, could almost only point to her.

"Okay."

Hermione packed her clothes and some food in a bag Ivan let her have, who also let her keep the extra pair of pajamas. Kneeling down, she reached for one of the dead Death Eater's wands. Her fingers trembled as she gripped the wand. It didn't feel right. Although its master had fallen, it clearly was not a wand that matched her. It occurred to her that she would not be able to perform higher level magic, yet as she uttered, "_Repairo_" she cleaned up the damage the Death Eaters had caused.

Ivan saw her out the door, "Penelope, if that is your real name…"

"Hermione." She interrupted. He had saved her life, so he had the right to know her first name at least.

"Well…Hermione, be careful out there." Ivan offered his hand to her, which she took and shook. She awkwardly parted from him, walking away from the home before stopping in her tracks. She turned around to see Ivan only just re-entering his house.

"Ivan!"she shouted. He turned and faced her. "Thank you...I mean, for everything." He offered her a smile and closed the door behind him. Hermione again took off on foot, thinking about where she might go next. Hopefully she could successfully Apparate if she focused hard enough. Perhaps Diagon Alley would work, though it was much too great a risk. She needed to find a place where she could attain a decent wand for her usage, otherwise she found little hope in reuniting with Harry and Ron.

Then she thought about the Burrow. She knew people there but still, she was hesitant. If she went to the Burrow, the Order would be just as unaware of Harry and Ron's whereabouts as she was. Plus, Mrs. Weasley would probably insist she remain there, out of danger's way, and there was no way that could happen. It'd be impossible for her to search for Harry and Ron.

Eventually, Hermione found herself at the side of a river. Having little to no energy from walking so long, she drank water from her hand, quenching her dehydration. The sun was beginning to set and she knew she had to find shelter again.

Using her new wand, Hermione cleared an area of the forest floor, removing it of any sharp rocks or twigs. She then pointed at the tree branches. '_Reducto_!' she commanded, removing a few tree branches at a time. Little by little, she piled up branches. As she concentrated, Hermione conjured large pieces of fabric from her wand, maneuvered the branches and fabric together, and made a makeshift teepee. Satisfied with her work, she placed a few waterproof and protective spells around her campsite, in case it should rain or if any strangers just so happen to come across it.

After building a fire, using magic this time, Hermione settled down to eat the food Ivan gave her, a few cans of vegetables and a loaf of bread. She attempted duplicate it, but only succeeded twice. Still, she didn't complain. She considered herself lucky to have a wand, let alone stale bread. With her stomach full, she climbed into her teepee.

For the first time since sleeping in Ivan's daughter's bed, Hermione struggled to fall asleep. Only a while later did she put the thoughts of Ron, Harry, and even Ginny, from her mind did she finally lapse into sleep.

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><p><em>"Okay, Felice was the witch who defeated Memphis, but why?" Hermione asked.<em>

_"Because he was an arsehole." mumbled Ginny, causing Hermione to laugh out loud, drawing the attention of several other students. They were sitting in the library and Hermione was helping Ginny with her history essay. For a few hours now, they had scowered the shelves for any useful information that Hermione didn't already know._

_"Yes, well, you have to take into consideration that these were different times, medieval traditions. Women were considered inferior to men, even in the wizarding world." she explained._

_"But hexing them for every little reason? That's ridiculous! I'd like to show them a thing or two about hexing.", Ginny retorted. Hermione smiled. She knew perfectly well how capable Ginny was with hexes, especially after last year when they formed Dumbledore's Army._

_"I believe you!", she said, causing both girls to laugh to themselves. It was one of the few moments they shared together, without the boys. Hermione took full advantage of talking to the girl about things that boys would never possibly understand. That was the great thing about Ginny, she was one, if not the only, girl Hermione could talk to about things like love, girl stuff, or family. Ginny would listen attentively, occasionally slipping a joke into the conversation to ease whatever tension might have occurred. Every week, they would steal away to the library so that Hermione could get away from Ron and Harry, and help Ginny with her schoolwork, though the redhead did much better than her older brother._

_They continued working for a couple more hours, when Dean found them huddled over a book in deep conversation. He cleared his throat and both girls looked up at him._

_"Hello Ginny, Hermione.", he greeted them with a smile. He was a tall black boy in Hermione's year, a Gryffindor as well._

_"Hey, Dean." Ginny smiled back. Hermione suddenly felt like a third wheel. She knew the two were dating, but she couldn't help being jealous of Dean. She was angry at him for interrupting her time with Ginny. What was the point of getting away if they were going to be interrupted?_

_"So I was wondering if you wanted to walk with me by the lake, if you're not too busy?", he asked Ginny._

_"I'd love to. I was just about finished anyways. I'll see you later, Hermione. Thanks for helping me!", Ginny said, packing her things and walking away with Dean, waving goodbye to her._

_"Goodbye, Ginny.", Hermione said with a small voice, once Ginny and Dean were out of sight. For the first time ever, she didn't feel comfortable in the library so she packed up her things and made her way to the common room, feeling rather lonely, knowing Ginny was happy with Dean, and not with her._

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><p>Hermione woke up with a groan, as daylight seeped through the top of the teepee. She suddenly became aware of reality and sighed deeply before getting up. As she exited the teepee, she contemplated going to the Burrow.<p>

"_Reducto_!" she said, waving her wand at the teepee, demolishing it. She scattered the broken branches and burned the fabric. Hermione could not risk leaving behind any trace of her presence there, in case someone decided to track her.

She continued walk a short while when she heard a low growl from behind her, stopping her in her tracks. She shot her head back and found herself facing a puma. Her breathing became fast as the feline flashed its teeth at her. Hermione stood still, holding her breath. The cat stared at her with abrasive eyes. She gradually stepped away from it, ever so slowly. Unfortunately it started to prowl towards her. Without a second thought, she turned and ran, the puma picking up speed. "_Petrificus totalus_!" she cried narrowly missing the cat.

She gripped her wand and Apparated right as the lion clawed the heel of her foot. One moment she was running away from a mountain lion and the next she was laying on her back after landing in the front yard of the Burrow. Her breathing calmed as she processed she was no longer in harm's way.

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><p><strong>Review or follow if you'd like to see more or if you have recommendations! Gracias!<strong>


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